Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan (20 November 1750-4 May 1799) was the ruler of Mysore from 1782 until his death in the Third Anglo-Mysore War.

Biography
Known as the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan inherited his kingdom in southern India, his army, and his ambitions from his father, Hyder Ali. Hyder had made himself ruler of Mysore through his military prowess. As European colonial powers jostled for control of coastal India, Hyder aligned himself with the French, who provided training and equipment for his army. He fought against the British and the East India Company, as well as against his Indian neighbors to the north: the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Maratha Confederacy.

Tipu accompanied his father on campaign from the age of 15, and by the time the Second Anglo-Mysore War broke out in 1780, was an experienced field commander. In September of that year, he attacke a British force under Colonel William Baille at Pollilur and broke up its defensiuve formation with his cannon and cavalry, forcing Baille to surrender. This striking victory was followed by other impressive performances in a war that neither side could win. In the midst of the conflict in 1782, Hyder died and Tipu took the throne. Two years later, he negotiated peace with the British on equal terms by the Treaty of Mangalore.

Avid Modernizer
Tipu expressed a great interest in technological innovation. In addition to his ground-breaking rocket forces and French-supplied cannon, he deployed a well-drilled infantry with flintlock muskets and bayonets. The quality of his light cavalry was also much admired. He hated the British and even owned an automaton representing a tiger savaging a British soldier. Yet, his connection with France was ultimately his undoing, since it inspired Britain to devote substantial resources to campaigns against him.

In the Third Anglo-Mysore War of 1789-92, Tipu suffered a series of defeats by the British East India Company and had to cede territory to obtain peace. In 1799, with the French Revolutionary Wars raging, Britain decided that the independence of Mysore was a threat to their interests. Tipu's kingdom faced an invasion by an overwhelming force, including East India Company sepoys, British regular infantry under the future Duke of Wellington, and the army of the Nizam of Hyderabad. They took the capital, Srirangapatna, after a swift but hard-fought campaign. Tipu was a conspicuous presence in the final defense in the final defense of the fortress and died fighting, gun in hand.